If you’re reading this, trust that you will end up where you are supposed to be.
My road to Villanova has been anything but simple. There are days when I wonder how it is that I got here. When I look back on my journey to this beautiful place that I call home, I know that everything I have been through has been worth it. But there are some days when I look back and wish it had been easier. But if everything didn’t happen exactly the way it had, would I even be here? I look back and I shudder at the hardships that have caused me to feel so alone, but I also look back and see the grace of God that has brought me here to Villanova… and I cannot help but be thankful.
Being the new kid time and time again has made maintaining friendships difficult. With every new place I found myself, I struggled to find friends who would have my back no matter what. But more importantly, I struggled with being the friend I knew I should be. I transferred my junior year of high school to a school I hated, just so I could play basketball on a team that had a shot at winning the state championship. I left my old friendships in the dust in pursuit of being someone I thought I wanted to be. I’m not proud of the person I was in high school, and my priorities were not in check. I was more focused on who I wanted other people to think I was than actually being the person I knew I should be.
Basketball was all that mattered to me throughout high school, and as a result I chose to go to a college that I wasn’t too passionate about. When I got to Bryn Mawr College my freshman year, I knew it wasn’t the right fit. But I was determined to make it fit. I wanted so badly to be the best friend I could be and find the people I could depend on.
In November of my sophomore year at Bryn Mawr I hit a breaking point. I felt alone and frustrated because the friends I cared so much about, ended up being people I couldn’t trust. For another time in my life, it felt like things kept falling apart and I blamed myself for the broken relationships. Was there something wrong with me? Was I the common denominator that caused things to spiral? For the longest time I was angry at myself, thinking that I was the problem. But I knew deep in my heart that I had been the best friend I could be, and it was not my fault. I was continuing to grow as a person, and at the end of the day I needed people in my life that would grow with me.
When I tell people that Army ROTC at Villanova saved me, I truly mean it. I started the program when I was still at Bryn Mawr and it quickly became the best part of my week. I looked forward to the early morning wake-ups just so I could get over to Nova and see the people who were as driven and as goal-oriented as I was. It didn’t take much time for me to realize that Villanova was the place I knew I needed to be. Transferring second semester sophomore year was easily the best decision I have ever made. I have met my best friends in the whole world through my sorority here, and I am so thankful every single day that God has led me to this place.
Although the road was winding and unpredictable, I could not have gotten to Nova without Bryn Mawr. If I hadn’t endured broken friendships, I wouldn’t be the friend I am today. My journey would have looked a lot different if things didn’t align the way they did. So when I look back on high school, I see the start of a road that led me here. The times when it felt like I hit rock bottom, God opened up new doors for me to walk through. God has blessed me with the best dad, mom, and older brother I could ever ask for. And it is because of them that I know I am never ever alone. I have learned and grown through past mistakes, and I am still trying to become the best version of myself.
It’s hard to find the words to describe how thankful I am for Villanova and the wonderful people that make up this community. I look at Villanova and I see my second home. The place where I have found my three best friends. The place where I am completely happy. And to me, that makes everything worth it.
So if you’re reading this Nova, trust that you will end up where you are supposed to be. Even when you’re unsure of where you’re headed and the road ahead seems uncertain. Even when it seems like everything is falling to pieces, trust that it’s building you up for the plan God has in store for you. If you’re at a breaking point… then you’re at a rebuilding point. And if I’ve learned one thing through my journey so far, it’s that God always finds a way to bring you the people who are supposed to be in your life, at exactly the right time.
If you’re reading this Nova, I am so thankful for you. Be present, be thankful, and always stay in the fight.
Emma G., Villanova University ‘23
